Eyes of Fire
by BroadwayAngel
Summary: A new Phantom at the Opera House is helping Rose dance better than the rest, but it's not too long until the Phantom starts getting out of hand, and Rose finds herself fighting back. But no Phantom allows that...do they...
1. Strange Voices

Chapter I

Strange Voices

"Ladies and gentlemen! Please!" Nicolaus Vandyke, our maestro, screeched irritably. "Can we _please_ continue on without the chattering in the back? Chorus, I'd believe that would be you..._please_ remain _silent!_" Monsieur Vandyke hesitated a moment, his face was red and sweat shined off his brows. Once he regained his composure, he lifted his baton. From there, I stopped listening to what he was saying. Instead, I strained to hear what Madame Lauralai was instructing us to do.

"Remember to stay loose and do not tense up. The audience can tell if it looks like work. Your movements have to look effortless, and so does your face..." Madame Lauralai had that stern look on her face to show her concern and authority, "Miss Watson, I expect to see no straining expression on your face during our performance. If one of us messes up, it would appear as if we all messed up. Let's keep this clean." The girl whom she was talking to blushed and looked down. Her name was Milly Watson. She came from England and often had a bit of trouble keeping her face relaxed while she danced. We all struggled with at least one small detail in our dancing. Mine was keeping my mind off other things. At times, it was hard for me to concentrate on the dancing, and I would find myself thinking about one thing or another. This would often lead to me accidently bumping into another chorus girl, or I would forget what part of the dance we were at, which would throw us all off. "Keep your mind _here_, Miss White," Madame Lauralai would often snap at me.

I don't like to blame other things for my mishaps because that shows irresponsibility, but lately, I've been hearing and seeing things that are all too distracting. I can't really explain it without someone thinking I'm mad, but there were often times I thought that someone in the shadows was watching me while I danced, and I'd hear a voice calling to me, correcting me, whispering to me. It was all so strange. I once asked Madison Eckoff, a friend of mine who also danced in the chorus, if she had heard anything during our rehearsals. She looked at me with a grin and thought I was joking around with her. When I told her I was serious, she looked at me with an expression of worry and confusion. "Rose," she'd say, "are you feeling all right?" After that, I decided to keep to myself about the strange voice.

I wasn't neccesarily frightened of the voice or the shadow which lingered. I never have been afraid of those uncertainties. My grandmother, who used to be the ballet instructor at the opera house, told me of a phantom who used to live in the opera house. She told me that everyone feared him, for no one knew what he was, but _she _knew what and _who _he was. "He lived in solitude in the deepest part of ze opera house," she told me. "He knew nothing of remorse for his actions, and the only love he knew was that of his music and Christine Daae." She refused to tell me more about him, but she did tell me that she knew him when they were both very young. If my grandmother didn't fear a phantom, neither would I.

Rehearsals ended after six grisly hours, and all the chorus girls were back in their dormitories cleaning up. I spotted Vashti Gallagner gossipping with her putrid little friends in the corner of the room. Vashti glanced in my direction and gave a fake, vile grin, then quickly turned back to her friends and began whispering. I loathed Vashti, and I knew she hated me too. It was an on-going battle that took place between us everyday, competing for positions or argueing over rumors that she starts about me, and I always have to confront her about it and straighten everything up. Normally, fatuous rumors don't faze me, but when she spreads a rumor about me sleeping with the director so I can get a good part in the opera, I get pretty livid. Usually, though, I try to keep my head low. I don't like too much attention, especially when it's negative attention.

"I heard that Christopher is taking lessons now from a voice teacher," Madison said to me in a hushed voice, so no one but Milly and I could hear her. Milly was our mutual friend. We included her in just about all our conversations and everything else we did. Milly was a nice girl, but no one really wanted to hang around her thinking they'd get a bad name just because Milly can't dance as well as the rest of us. But Madison and I took her in because we felt sorry for her, and as it turns out, Milly is really useful to have around. Since no one pays any attention to Milly, they all talk about private things in front of her, thinking that Milly's a nobody and who would she tell if she had no friends? So Milly knows a lot of information about almost everyone. She tells us things she thinks we ought to know, but if it's just gossip, she keeps it to herself. No one wants to be labeled a dispersing pighead.

"Christopher sings?" I questioned. Christopher, who belted out songs way out of tune (purposely of course), and who hardly ever took anything very seriously. Even his dancing wasn't very serious to him, although he was the second best male dancer we had.

"Apparently," Madison said as she climbed into her bed, and pulled the covers up to her chest. "I'm not really surprised. I've heard him talking about how great it'd be to actually be noticed for your great talent instead of being seen as a group all the time."

"Well I hope that he doesn't ditch us once he becomes an opera singer," I almost spat, trying not to think bitterly of what might happen if Christopher betrayed us for a job.

Christopher was another one of our friends in the chorus. He was always the one to lighten up a drowsy day. Which I often needed when Vashti was a problem.

"_Goodnight, ladies_," I heard from the doorway across the room. Candles were blown out throughout the room, and whispers started to die down. I lay in bed on my side, looking at the wall across from me, which had a window that looked to the outside of the opera house. It was completely black outside with few stars from what I could see.

I wasn't the least bit tired, and I don't think I would have been able to fall asleep if it weren't for the music playing softly in the back of my head. It was a sweet sound. My mind began to drift off, and before long, I found myself asleep, dreaming of a man that I've never seen before...yet somehow, he seemed familiar...


	2. Seductive Desire

Chapter II

Seductive Desire

I hadn't probably gotten an hour of sleep when I heard someone calling my name. The voice was like a dark wind in the night. I could hear it, but I couldn't see it. "Rose..." the voice sent chills down my spine, and while I wanted to curl up in a ball and cover my head with my blanket, something inside of me told me to move towards the voice. Without barely thinking, I climbed out of bed. My nightgown dropped to the floor and brushed against the wooden floors as I slowly walked towards the doorway where I heard the voice. I wanted to speak, to ask who was there, but I found it difficult to talk. "Come to _me_..." the haunting whisper continued. My heart resounded in my chest. If the voice didn't wake anyone, I was surprised my beating heart didn't.

I walked out into the darkened hallway, straining my eyes for movement and my ears for noise. All my senses seemed to be working overtime. I stood there, not knowing what I was doing for a moment. Had I heard nothing? Was my imagination getting the best of me? I was almost certain that I had been dreaming, and as I was about to go back to my room I heard footsteps. Light, but unmistakable footsteps, slowly coming towards me. I stood frozen to the ground. I thought I was just about to die from fear and curiousity when I heard, "Miss White? Miss White, you really shouldn't be walking about at night." Candle light lifted in the air and illuminated the face which had spoken. It was Edward Milson, a tall burly man with a gray goatee who owned the opera house. My heart was stuck in my throat from both relief and almost disappointment. _What were you expecting?_ I asked myself. "You know, even these days, you can't be sure of what's lurking around the corners," Milson said quietly. I wasn't sure if he was trying to be humorous or if he was serious. Nevertheless, I didn't really want to know.

"I...I thought I heard something outside of our room..." I tried to explain. My insides were still squirming from anxiety.

"You needn't worry, Miss White. There is nothing in this opera house that we would allow to harm any of you," Milson stated matter-of-factly. That wasn't very reassuring. I thought about bringing up the Phantom Erik. _He _lived in the opera house for _years_ and no one did anything about his killing people. And I assumed that if anyone came upon another phantom, it would go without being dealt with, because whether anyone would admit it or not, they are absolutely terrified of coming upon another phantom. However, I did not bring up Erik. If anyone found out that I knew about the Phantom from the past, they would panic and I could lose my job. "Now, off to bed with you. We'll need all of our chorus girls in good condition for tomorrow's dress rehearsal. Goodnight, madam." With that, Milson bowed his head and walked off down the hall. I saw him take the next staircase upstairs, and after a minute or two of seeing a faint candle light, it went completely black again.

I heaved a sigh and turned to go back to my room. But as I turned around, a tall figure of a man stood before me, blocking the entrance to the dormitory. He wore a black cape that hung off his left shoulder and a white mask covered the right side of his face. I don't remember anything else because I felt myself grow faint. And then I did.

I'd like to tell you that I woke up in my bed and realized it was all just a dream. But that wasn't the case. I did, however, wake up in a huge bed with red silk blankets. The bed's headboard towered above me and carved into the wood was a raven with its wings outstretched and its beak open as if it were cawing. I sat up and looked around. My head was spinning, and my heart was beating slow and heavy. I didn't recognize where I was, but I was positive that I had left the upper floors of the opera house. This room was damp and a bit cold. The walls were stone as were the floors. Everywhere I looked there was a candle lighting up the room. There must of been hundreds of candles. Either that, or my vision was blurred so I saw everything in doubles.

I was exactly in the middle of the bed. There was at least room for two other people to sleep on either side of me. For a moment, I wondered how I got in this situation...then I remembered the face. I couldn't make it out exactly, but it was the face I had seen before. Perhaps in my dreams. Maybe this was the man who sang to me in my sleep and who called to me while I danced. Maybe this was the man who haunted my dreams. It _had _to be him.

I slowly made my way off of the over-sized bed. For a moment, I just stood. Pulling myself back together and trying to organize my thoughts. Maybe if my head stopped spinning, it'd be a bit easier. Finally, after what seemed to be minutes of simply standing there, my head cleared. I looked around for a door until I realized there was no door. Just an opening. It seemed like a cave, and I'm sure that's what it was. I was about to head for the opening when I heard footsteps. They were brisk foosteps, but they weren't coming my direction. Instead, they seemed as if they were moving farther away. Then, the footsteps stopped. I waited for a moment to see if anything would happen. I'm glad I did.

The next thing I heard was a splash and a 'THUD'. Curiousity got the better of me, and I quickly walked out of the room and into a much larger room, which was also very cave-like. Now I was sure there were hundreds of candles burning everywhere. Every dark corner had light. Right before me there was a lake. Well, I guess it was a lake. It looked like one, but it was on the inside of what seemed to be a very large cave that had many rooms. I didn't have to search hard to find where the noise had come from. There was a huge floor candle holder that looked to hold at least a dozen candles lying in the water. I wondered for a moment how it got to be there, and then when I thought of what had happened, I quickly snapped around and there I saw the man in the mask.

I gasped, just as most of us are inclined to do when startled or frightened. The man, who actually looked to be quite a young man, had dark brown hair and fiery brown eyes that bore into mine. His face was a soft-looking texture without a scratch of any kind. He wore no cloak, but his white mask was still threatening on his face. I was about to say something, _anything_, but then the Phantom put a black-gloved finger up to his mouth, indicating for me to stay quiet. In my mind, I began to hear singing. The same singing that I often heard at night. I closed my eyes as my soul began to lift. I felt the gloved hand take a hold of mine, and when I opened my eyes I saw that he was leading me to another room. This room was completely bare. Only candles filled this room, and there weren't as many candle as the other rooms. It was not a dark room, though. It was just bright enough to make out who you were standing amongst.

The Phantom looked back at me as he continued to lead me by the hand, and I could have sworn that he gave a faint smile. "I never thought I'd have the pleasure of meeting you in person, Miss White," the Phantom's voice was soft and low with the hint of aggression. I was now utterly speechless and couldn't even find my voice to ask him who he was. "I was beginning to wonder if my teaching was doing any good." Once we reached the middle of the room, the Phantom stopped and turned to me. "And I can see now, that it has not." My heart stopped in my chest. What did he mean? My throat ran dry, and I was now more frightened than I had ever been before. Had he brought me here to be punished? I didn't deserve to be punished...I deserved to know exactly what he was talking about. "That is why I have brought you here, young Rose. You are to blossom into something more beautiful than the rest of those..." it seemed as if the Phantom should finish his sentence. But he left it at that. My heart lightened a bit when he said that. But I still wasn't quite sure what he was talking about. My dancing? Was he going to help my dancing? I might have laughed had I not been so frightened. How could a Phantom coach my dancing? ...Then, I remembered...when I would dance, I would hear his voice...coaching me, teaching me, instructing me...

"It was _you_..." I whispered, afraid of what might happen should I speak. The Phantom glared down on me. His eyes tore at me from the inside. I looked away.

The Phantom didn't reply. Instead he lifted my head and forced me to look at him. His eyes had softened, and instead of seeing a Phantom, I saw a man. A man who looked to care after me, and who was looking to please me...but at the same time bring glory to himself. "You will come here to practice your performances..."

"But I have rehearsals everyday th-"

The Phantom waved his hand gently in the air. "Those are for amateurs. You are to come here before those rehearsals and perform your dance for me so I can instruct you. You will learn to dance from your soul, not your feet. You will learn to push energy out towards the audience and your mind will be clear and your moves effortless as all dancers should be, and you will have the radiance that none other has." What the Phantom seemed to be saying seemed impossible. If anyone could do all of that, they wouldn't be dancing in an opera. They'd be dancing solos at ballets, and I imagine they'd make quite the profit.

"I know your desires, Rose. You long to dance alone for the audience. To have the stage all to yourself. To light up the stage with your beauty. It _will _happen. You must learn to trust me. I had hoped that you wouldn't fear me, but I can sense in you now the fear and uncertainty. _Trust me," _the Phantom's voice flowed through my mind, and I found myself almost seduced by his voice. The Phantom reached out and touched my cheek with the back of his hand. I closed my eyes, and for a moment, I thought perhaps this was the man I loved. "_Trust me..."_ the Phantom repeated in a whisper. I opened my eyes, and he cupped my head with his hands. His eyes were warm, yet they showed a sadness that couldn't be described. "And listen..." He stroked my cheek with his thumb, and for a moment, there was no place I would have rather been.

I heard humming, a sweet, yet mysterious low sound. I soon realized it was coming from the Phantom, who now held me next to him, one hand on the back of my neck, and the other around my waist. His lips were against my ear, softly singing in a low, undistinct voice. My mind drifted off in peaceful silence, and my soul seemed to dance. The Phantom held me with compassion and his song was of a dark, yet seducing sound.

As my mind continued to drift, I thought I could hear whispers coming from all around me..."Rose..."

"Is she all right?"

"I don't know."

"What happened to her?"

"Stop talking!"

"Rose? Are you okay?"

"Is she breathing?"

"Yes..."

"Rose, wake up..."

"Is she sick?"

"She doesn't have a fever."

"Rose, it's going to be all right..."


	3. The Angel of Music

Chapter III

The Angel of Music

I slowly opened my eyes and saw at least ten of the chorus girls standing around me. Each one with a look of worry and fear upon their faces. When my eyes were open, someone shouted, "She's awake!" I looked around, thoroughly confused, and quickly sat up.

"What's going on?" I asked hastily. I could hear the tension in my own voice. Madison and Milly were the ones right next to my bed, inspecting me as if I had died and then suddenly came back to life.

"We were worried sick! _Rose!_ What happened?" Madison's voice was jumpy.

"What are you talking about?" I looked from Milly to Madison. They both looked relieved, yet frightened.

"Well, you wouldn't wake up!" Milly squeeked.

"We thought you were dead at first!" one of the girls said. The door to our room flung open at that moment, and a voice shrieked,

"What's the meaning of this? Why aren't you all downstairs? What's happened?" It was Madame Lauralai, in her normal, strict-mannered temper.

"Rose wouldn't wake up, mamsel," one of the girls answered in a jittery voice.

"Rose? Is she all right? Where is she?"

"I'm here, Madame," I answered bleakly. I heard her move quickly over to me. She looked me over then felt my forehead.

"Are you sick?" she asked. I shook my head. "Well, then, get up. We must start getting ready for dress rehearsals, and I highly suggest you get some food in your stomach, Miss White." Madame Lauralai then gathered herself and walked briskly out the door.

The girls scattered, some leaving for downstairs, others continued getting dressed. "You sure gave us a scare, Rose," Madison said gravely. "We thought you'd left us for a moment." Madison finished buttoning up her shirt before she turned to me and whispered, "I saw a man last night..." Madison came right up beside my bed and sat on her knees, looking me right in the eyes. "He was here...in this room...I didn't want to tell anyone, but I thought that might have been who shook you up." She looked at me, waiting for a reply. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to tell her who I saw. Then, I remembered what my grandmother had called Erik...she called him an Angel...an Angel of Music. And so I decided that's what this new Phantom was.

"Madison, it was the Angel of Music. He came to me last night..." Madison looked at me in disbelief, then started to get up from her sitting position. I grabbed her arm. "Wait, Madison, remember what I told you about that man I thought I saw, and that voice I thought I heard? It was _him_, Madison. You _have _to believe me!" Madison shook her head.

"There is no Angel of Music, Rose. I've heard of it before, but that man has been dead for years. And he wasn't an angel," Madison said in a low, menacing voice.

I was startled by her reaction. "Wh-?"

"Don't think I don't know about the Phantom, Rose. Many of us know about him, few of us choose to speak of him. But that Phantom has been dead for years. And even if he was still alive, he wouldn't live here. He left over a decade ago. If you're going to lie, Rose, don't even bother-"

My face grew hot. She thought I was _lying?_ "That's not who I'm talking about, Madison!" I cried. "This is a _new _phantom...a different one...he's young...very young...maybe in his twenties..."

"_There is no Phantom!"_ Madison snapped. I had never seen her so paranoid in all my life. I was completely taken-aback. "Don't try to get me to believe in things that aren't real, okay? I don't need anything on my mind right now, and it's enough that you feel you should lie to me about this."

I wanted to reply, but I couldn't. I didn't know how to make her think that I was telling the truth. I _was_ telling the truth. Yet, Madison didn't want to believe that what I was saying was the truth.

Madison left the room in a storm. I looked after her, confused and hurt. I saw Milly watching me from the corner of my eye, and I turned to her. She quickly looked away and walked after Madison.

I thought long and hard about missing dress rehearsals and saying I was sick, but then I remembered what the Phantom had wanted me to do. _Go to _both_ rehearsals?_ That sounded ludicrous. But I got dressed in a simple button-up dress and headed for downstairs. I decided to skip the breakfast room and go straight to my first rehearsal with the Phantom. I don't think I could stomach anything at that moment anyway.

I was halfway down the third flight of stairs when I remembered that I had no idea where the Phantom's lair was. I couldn't have been more upset. Not only would Madison be mad at me, but I would get the Phantom angry with me for missing his rehearsal. I sat on the steps of the staircase and put my head in my hands and started to cry. This was all going wrong. If only the Phantom were here with me now. Maybe he could make the pain go away.

"Rose, why do you cry?" a voice called out. I lifted my head to look around, but saw no one.

"Phantom?" I cried.

"It is your Angel, love." My heart started beating rapidly. This time, it wasn't from fear, but anticipation.

"Come to me, Angel," I cried again. And then, out from nowhere, stepped the Phantom. He dressed in red and black and this time he had a cloak covering everything on the right side of his face but his eye. He looked at me with sorrow and with strength in his eyes. I could feel myself become stronger just by holding his gaze. Slowly, the Phantom walked over to me and held out his hand.

"Dry your tears, my Angel," he whispered to me in a soothing voice. "We have much to accomplish today." I did as I was told and dabbed away the tears streaming from my eyes and down my cheeks. I reached out for his hand and he gently helped me up, his eyes never leaving mine. "Come, we must be swift."


	4. The Phantom's Rehearsal

Chapter IV

The Phantom's Rehearsal

The Phantom led me down the flight of stairs and then took a sharp right, heading towards what looked to be just a plain wall. But the Phantom gently pushed the wall, and it moved sideways, revealing a secret passage. He led me through it, and the door slowly closed behind us. I could hear the ochestra below us practicing for the rehearsal.

The Phantom took me down flight after flight of stone stairs. It seemed as if the opera house had hundreds of floors below it. Hardly speaking to me, the Phantom kept a brisk, yet steady pace. Then, alas, as we continued to travel downward, the Phantom spoke. "Your friend Madison does not believe I exist." He sounded angry, yet mild-tempered.

"I didn't mean to-"

"I don't mind whether or not people know of me. They will sooner than never..." the Phantom looked back at me and gave that hint of a smile. "I admire you for putting up a fight. Madison will soon learn that it is not wise to cast away the truth only because she doesn't want to hear it."

"She's angry with me. I didn't mean to create problems. I think Madame is suspicious of me, also," I spoke quietly, keeping my head low.

"It will come to pass, Rose. They will soon learn where you have wandered off to, and they will learn that it was not you, but _me._" The Phantom gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. My mind was going crazy. Does he plan to show himself to the world? I highly doubted it. If he was anything like Erik, he would remain in his shadows because if he is shown to the world, disaster will be unleashed. But maybe...that was what he wanted...

After what seemed to be an hour of walking down stairs, we came upon a lake. A boat sat at the edge, as if it was waiting for us. The Phantom helped me in, and then after I sat down, he stepped in after me with a long rod in his hands. I knew right away that it was used for maneuvering the boat.

In a short amount of time, we reached the cave. There was a ramp of stone that the Phantom pulled the boat up next to. The Phantom carefully stepped out of the boat, and then reached out his hand to help me onto the ramp. I took hold of his hand and he pulled me up. He then took me by the hand and led me to the empty room lit up by candles. "Now," the Phantom breathed, "we rehearse." I let go of his hand and walked out to the middle of the room.

I looked at him, and he nodded, indicating for me to begin. I was only wearing ballet slippers, so I knew that I couldn't completely perform the whole ballet. But I managed to do most of it without having to rise completely on my toes at the parts that would require me to have my pointe shoes. I must not have been doing anything wrong, because the Phantom simply watched me, occasionally nodding his head from time to time. Then, as I looked over at him, he shouted, "_STOP!"_ Startled, I stumbled to a hault. I stood, half frightened from the way he shouted at me. "You look at me as if looking for approval. Look at me as if _this _is how it should be done. Look confident as if you _know exactly _what you're doing. Show energy. Push energy out towards me. I can't feel anything but tenseness coming from you. _Relax_, and try again."

It took me a moment to gain back my composure, and then I began once again. I kept my arms and my mind loose, and for the first time, I felt truly relaxed. I could almost feel myself giving off energy. When I turned on my toe, I gazed at the Phantom, and the look in his eyes was that of delight and interest. And for the first time, I saw him looking at me not as a student, but as something else. Compassion gleamed from his eyes, and when I ended, he neither clapped nor said a word. Instead, he stood there, as if thinking to himself. The same look of intensity shown in his eyes. My breathing was heavy, and at the moment I wasn't quite sure it was from the dancing.

The Phantom moved towards me as I simply stood with my arms at my side. "_That_ is how it is to be done," the Phantom said in an undertone. The Phantom's hands were not gloved this time, and he reached out to me and took up my hand and laid a gentle kiss on my fingertips. Without looking at me, released my hand, and turned away from me. At first, I wasn't sure whether he was angry with me or not. Perhaps he just wanted me to leave. Moments passed like vapor, but before I had the chance to ask what was wrong, the Phantom turned towards me as if he had been thinking all that time and muttered, "You will come here again in the morning. You have much more to learn." I was almost dismayed. My dancing was to be improved? I didn't dare question the Phantom. In a sense, he frightened me, but at the same time, he soothed my soul. Being around him made me feel like a completely different person, and I hadn't the slightest clue as to why.

The Phantom took me back to the boat at the stone slope, and after he helped me in, I decided that I had to ask (though I was almost afraid of what he might say), "Angel, what is your name?" I noticed that I had said it so quietly that it was barely audible.

The Phantom had heard me clearly though, and at first he didn't give me an answer. Instead, he stepped inside the boat with the long, steel rod and began to maneuver the boat away from the his lair and out into the lake. I waited in awkward silence, listening to nothing but my own and the Phantom's breathing, and the occasional stirring of the water as the rod pushed through it.

I had just given up on hoping for an answer when came the Phantom's vague answer, "Aeron. That is what I was named when light flourished in my eyes and hope seemed like a fresh spring day." It was saddening to hear the Phantom speak of what must have been his past. I knew at that moment, though, that the Phantom once had a family, and that he didn't always reside in this darkness of his. I could feel myself pressing to ask more questions, but I knew that would only irritate the Phantom, who I now knew as Aeron.


	5. There's No Such Thing As a Phantom

Chapter V

"There's No Such Thing as a Phantom"

The dress rehearsal went quickly over a seven hour stretch. Madison never looked at me once during the whole rehearsal, and poor Milly struggled with whom to talk to.

After we were dismissed, I immediately headed upstairs to quickly change. I wanted to avoid having to talk to anyone. But before I knew it, Milly was right beside me, trying to keep up with my strides. "I just thought I should tell you that I believe you, Rose," Milly said in the most sincere tone. I stopped in my tracks and looked at her.

"Thank you, Milly." I couldn't really find any other words to say to her. I was so relieved that _some_one believed me. I thought for sure that I would be alone through this whole ordeal. Milly nodded, then turned and headed back to the stage.

Before I could even start walking again, Christopher pranced up the stairs and called, "Rose...wait!" I sighed and stood there, wondering what he could possibly want. I assumed he'd bring up a rumor...again. "I noticed how distant you and Madison were today. It was really odd to watch you two shun each other," Christopher spoke quietly, giving me a look of concern and almost playfullness. He liked to tease me and Madison a lot. "I tried talking to Madison, but she rubbed me off. She wouldn't say anything. So...what's going on with you two?"

I hated to be the one who told what happened because people get the wrong idea of you when you give out private information. But Christopher was our friend, and I didn't think it'd hurt anyone for him to know a little bit about our arguement. "Madison accused me of lying to her," I said simply. I didn't want to go into too much detail. Too much detail can lead you to too many problems.

"_Lying _to her? She's got to be mad. You two never lie to each other," Christopher honestly looked shocked, and any look of teasing was gone from his face. "What was it about?" I _knew _he was going to ask that.

I took a deep breath. "She think I lied to her about a man she saw in our room..."

"What!" I quickly put a hand over Christopher's mouth.

"Keep it down!" I warned.

"Right...right...what man?"

I hesitated for a moment. "Madison saw a man in our room, and I told her that it was the Phantom, but she doesn't believe me...but I _know _it was the Phantom, and I wasn't lying!"

Christopher thought deeply for a moment. "The Phantom?" he questioned. I nodded. "_You _saw the Phantom?" I nodded violently again. "How do you know it was the Phantom?" he asked.

"Because..." I tried to explain, "he spoke to me, and I saw him." I didn't necessarily lie, but I knew that wasn't really how it happened, but I didn't want to tell him that the Phantom took me down to his labyrinth. That would create chaos if anyone found that out.

Christopher looked confused. "What'd he say to you?"

Was he suspicous of me, too? "I...I don't really remember...I sort of passed out..."

"Oh...that's right...that's why all the girls were losing their heads," Christopher began trying to put all the pieces together. I was fearful that Christopher would ask me more hard questions that would require me to lie, but he didn't. "Okay, then. I was just trying to clear things up. I was pretty muddled watching you and Madison. Well, g'night, Rose." With that, Christopher turned and headed back down to the stage where everyone else was.

I breathed a sigh of relief and continued marching up the stairs to the dormitory. Once I reached the safe quarters of the room, I threw off my chorus clothes and tossed on a nightgown. I layed down on my bed with my face buried in my pillow, wondering just what to do now. Any moment, all the chorus girls would be streaming into the dormitory to change and then either go to sleep or sneak out with a man. I didn't want to be awake when Madison and Milly came in, so I tried my best to sleep, but I couldn't find myself the least bit tired. _Why can't you sing me to sleep, Angel?_ I thought to myself, frustrated. I decided to just pretend to be asleep.

Within minutes, everyone was piling in the door, chatting away with gossip or giggling about what one of the men said to them. I could hear Madison and Milly's footsteps cross the room and come over to our side of the room. "Is she sleeping?" Milly's voice asked.

"I suppose," came Madison's cold reply. I bit my pillow to keep from crying or showing any sign that I was awake.

"You know, I don't think she was lying..." Milly's weak voice tried to convince Madison.

"_There is no such thing as a Phantom_," Madison snapped. "The man was probably her lover or someone...there has only been one Phantom, and there won't ever be another one. That's impossible." I could feel a hate burn inside of me.

_No Phantom?_ I thought to myself, dying to scream it as Madison. _Why don't _you _tell me who that man was? I bet you couldn't. You don't want to know about the Phantom. He scares you. Just like everyone else. You're just purposly being blind to the truth. But that's okay...you'll see him...he said so himself...and he knows about you, too. He knows you don't believe in him..and you might become his first victim..._I couldn't help thinking these horrible things. What was I saying? Madison is my friend! The more I thought about her, though, the more angry and hurt I became.


	6. The Accident

Chapter VI

The Accident

I woke up the next morning freezing cold. My eyes snapped open and I looked around for my blanket, but it wasn't on my bed! I jumped out of bed, shivering, and looked around the other beds and _on _the other beds, thinking someone might have come over and taken my blanket. "Where is it?" I whispered to myself between shivers. I decided to look in the cabinet for an extra blanket, though I doubted there would be one because our blanket supply is always low. I walked over to the cabinet and pulled open the doors. What I saw petrified me. For a moment I stood there too stunned to speak...then I heard myself let out a scream. I kept screaming, and then I began crying. There, in the cabinet, was a man wrapped in what had to be _my _blanket. He was dead, and it looked as if he had been stabbed, due to the blood seeping through the blanket, and strangled, for there was a still a lasso hung about his neck. "_Oh my God!_" I screamed. "_Dear God!_" I heard some of the beds stir, and the next thing I knew, there was a crowd of girls standing around all screaming or crying.

"_WHAT IS GOING ON!"_ I heard Madame Lauralai shout through all the commotion. Some girls pointed towards the cabinet. Madame clutched her chest in shock. "Get away from there, girls! Come over here. It's all right..." I was in such shock that I couldn't stop crying. I could barely breathe between gasps. Other girls were rocking back and forth. Vashti and her friends were talking quickly in worried and terrified voices.

"It was the Phantom!" one of the girls shouted. I snapped my head in the direction from where the voice came. It was a girl by the name of Marie MacDougal, an Irish girl who was the youngest of us at age fifteen.

"What's this, Marie?" Madame Lauralai snapped. Daring Marie to keep talking.

"The Phantom, Madame, I've seen him! He watches us while we dance!" Marie was shaking with fear and almost what seemed to be excitement.

"That's _enough_, Marie!" Madame Lauralai threatened.

"But it's true, Madame, I swear it!" poor Marie insisted.

"I said _enough_, Marie!" Madame shouted. Marie shut her mouth tightly. "Stay here, girls, and _do not move_. I'm going to find the managers. And I do _not _want to hear _any _talk of a Phantom!" The girls all looked around at each other. Each one with the same look on her face.

I inched my way back from the cabinet and moved back against the wall, staring at the man. The man's name was Isaiah. He worked in the opera house. He wasn't that bad of a man. He joked around with the chorus alot. He often had a bad habit of messing up at his post. He had a bad drinking problem, too, but I couldn't figure out why he had been killed. And I really wanted to know if it was Aeron who did it. I had the sick feeling that it _was _Aeron who did this.

I saw Milly move across the room towards me. She sat beside me and put her head on my shoulder. "I'm scared, Rose," she whispered. I took Milly's hand in mine.

"It'll be okay. It was just an accident." I knew it wasn't though. This wasn't an accident.

"Do you think it was the Phantom?" Milly asked.

I thought for a moment as if truly considering my answer. "No," I lied. Milly sighed, and I was thankful that she probably didn't think it was the Phantom.

I saw Madison look over at us, and I gave her a pleading look, as if asking her to be my friend again. I guess she gave in because Madison crawled over to me and Milly and sat on the other side of me. "I'm sorry for thinking you lied to me," Madison muttered. "I just don't think there'd be another Phantom..."

"Don't worry about it," I reassured her. I couldn't believe what I just said, though. I was letting her get off easily. I should have laid it on her thick.

"No, I accused you of lying, but I know you probably didn't, and I'm sorry. Do you forgive me?" I looked at Madison, and her eyes were begging for forgiveness.

"Yes, I forgive you," I told her. And I think I meant it. We gave each other a small side hug.

"STAND BACK! STAND BACK! Let me take a look at this!" Edward Milson boomed, motioning for girls to move out of the way. Milly, Madison, and I shrank back against the wall even farther. Once Milson reached the cabinet he cried out, "Dear God in Heaven!" He took out a hankerchief from his jacket and wiped off his brow. "Girls, if you please, go down to the ballroom...perhaps we can keep everything in order there...the stage wouldn't be safe...how did this happen? Why...in _my _theatre..._why?_" Milson seemed to be talking to himself after he instructed us.

Madison, Milly, and I stood up and quickly headed towards the door. Once we reached the third landing, I looked off to my right and spotted the secret door. "Go ahead...there's something I've got to do. I won't take long, but _don't _wait for me! Go to the ballroom!" I drifted off to the right and moved quickly to avoid any collisions.

"Rose, no!" I heard Madison and Milly yell. I couldn't go back to them. I had to talk to the Phantom.


	7. Stolen Lives

Chapter VII

Stolen Lives

Making sure no one was looking, I opened the wall that led to the Phantom's lair. The passages were dark and quite dirtier than I remembered, but I climbed down staircase after staircase, hoping the Phantom was still hiding in his Hell.

The boat was not there when I reached the lake. _That should mean that the Phantom is still here, _I thought to myself. I looked down at the glistening water, and realized that it wasn't that deep, so I lowered myself into the water, and at first, I thought I'd die of coldness when I first got in. The water was absolutely freezing and it went up past my hips and up to my waist. I began to trudge through the water, though, looking all around me. I didn't notice before all the figures carved into the wall. Most of them were of unclad women who were blindfolded with their arms tied above them. Others were of ravens and wolves. It was an odd combination of art. I couldn't quite understand it, but I think I understood the message being sent with the nude women.

When I finally arrived at the cave, a gate was down, barring the way to the entrance. I saw the Phantom playing haunting music on his pipe organ. When I took a hold of the gate, he stopped playing and turned to look at the gate. Once he saw me, I could see his despair, but he didn't open the gate.

"Let me in!" I cried. My eyes began to swell with tears. "_Please!"_

The Phantom looked at me, a fire burned in his eyes as he yelled, "Leave me!" Then, he turned back to his organ. I began to cry.

"Please let me in! Aeron..." I cried again. "Aeron..." I whispered his name because all strength had left me at that moment, and I wasn't sure if it was from the sheer coldness of my whole body or the fact that I had struggled through at least a mile of freezing water. I was guessing it was from both. The Phantom looked at me once again, his face looked horrifying with the mask so carefully hiding the right side of his face.

"Why did you come here? You shouldn't have come!" he shouted. I whimpered while tears flowed from my eyes and down my cheeks.

"I have to talk to you!" I pleaded. "Please...let me in..."

The Phantom looked at me as if he didn't understand. "Don't cry..." his voice was hushed and it sounded as if he were begging. "Don't cry, Rose..." This made me cry even harder. "_Don't cry!" _the Phantom yelled. His voice was both harsh and sad.

"Please..." I whispered, sounding as if I was losing my voice, "just let me in..." When the Phantom made no move, and he looked away, I whispered in a chilled voice, "I'm cold...Aeron..." The Phantom looked at me again, concern on his face, but the same fire in his eyes, and for a moment, I thought he was going to turn me away again. He looked at me, then at the water in which I was standing in. Then, he slowly rose from his seat and moved toward a lever and pulled it.

The gate gradually opened, creaking slightly while chains from above worked to pull it up. I moved through the freezing water and onto the ramp. My teeth were slightly chattering, and my hands were turning a blue colour. At first, we stood there, looking at each other. I had my arms wrapped around my body. The Phantom's bottom lip quivered, and he quickly moved away and into another room. Hoping he'd return, I waited. He came back with a thick red blanket in his hands. I was positive it came from his bed. He walked up to me and wrapped it around my body. I could feel the warmth of the blanket shoot through my veins. The Phantom stood there with his hands on my arms for a moment, then he put his hand on the back of my neck and pulled me toward him, embracing me in a secure hold. I began to softly cry again, wondering why the Phantom would kill anyone. He didn't really seem as if he would kill _anyone_.

"Please don't cry, Angel," the Phantom coaxed. "Don't cry, my angel..." I tried to gather myself to please him.

I gently pried myself away from him and looked him in the eye and asked, "Why did you kill that man?" The Phantom's expression didn't change.

"What makes you think I killed him?" the Phantom challenged.

I looked at him with anger. "You know you killed him! _Why?_"

The Phantom turned away and began to walk slowly towards his room. "We all die, Rose, why does it matter if they die a moment early?"

"You took away a life and a friend!" I yelled at him.

The Phantom stopped and turned to me. "The world took away _my _life!" he boomed. Now, only anger filled his eyes as he looked at me with pique. I stood there, shocked and confused at what he just said. "I HAD A LIFE, BUT THE WORLD TOOK IT AWAY! I HAD TO HIDE IN DARKNESS AND SUFFER LONELINESS! NO ONE CARED!" he roared with rage. Then, he looked at me, searching deep into my eyes as if looking for a window to my soul. "But you..._you_ seemed to care...you answered my cries and you heard my songs of solitude..." The Phantom turned his head and looked away.

I moved up the ramp with the blanket still draped around my shoulders, and I made my way up to him. Once I came up beside him, I took a hold of his hand and moved it to the side of my face. He closed his eyes, then slowly opened them and looked down. Silently, I saw a tear fall across his cheek. I let go of his hand and wiped away his tear. The Phantom still had his hand on my cheek as if holding my face. He looked at me and began to say something, but his words never came out. He removed his hand from my face and began to walk away.

I followed him as he moved into his room. "Why...why did you kill him?" I took off the blanket from around me and laid it on his bed. The Phantom paced around his room. I hadn't realized how decorated it truly was. There were pictures and paintings everywhere I looked. It looked as if he had done them himself. My heart almost skipped a beat as I noticed that many of them were of me. I saw a desk with at least ten candles glowing from the surface, and on the desk there were about five different masks. All created for different occasions.

The Phantom stopped at one of his desks with sketches on it, and traced one of the figure's outline with his finger. "Isaiah..." the Phantom growled, "He planned to block your path to glory..."

Suddenly, the Phantom looked up at me, his eyes ablaze. "And Vashti," he spat through gritted teeth. The Phantom moved his eyes across the room as if searching for something. When he seemed to find it, he looked back at me. "Vashti will fail in her attempt to become a star." The Phantom said it as if he _knew _it was certain to happen, which made me almost wonder what he was scheming inside his mind.

"What's going to happen?" I questioned. The Phantom turned his back on me and walked over to his sketch desk, then once he reached the desk, he turned back to me, giving me an answer that I was not looking for.

"Your rehearsals resume tomorrow," he said in a low voice, turning back to his sketches. I gave a small sigh of relief, praying that these nightmares would not come again. The Phantom looked at me again, this time looking at my sodden clothes. "You must change. I'll take you back by the boat." The Phantom walked over to a dresser which stood beside his sketch desk and took out a simple day gown. He walked over and handed it to me, then walked out of the room, lowering a curtain over the doorway.


	8. Missing Things

Chapter VII

Missing Things

I waited for a moment to see if the Phantom would come back for any reason, but he never did. I quickly changed into the white gown he had given me to wear. It smelled of rose petals. After I slipped it on and put my drenched clothes in a pile next to the bed, I quietly walked over to the desk from which he had pulled out the gown. I repeatedly looked over my shoulder, fearing that the Phantom would storm into the room and catch me prying through his things. I caressed the surface of the dresser from which he had taken the gown, and then proceeded to carefully pull open the top drawer. The drawer was heavy, but silent, which I was thankful for. As I pulled the drawer completely open, I couldn't help but gasp from shock. The drawers contained red rose petals and dozens of day gowns. Atop the gowns and rose petals sat a framed picture...of _me._ It was hand-drawn, but it was done so well that I would have thought it were a photograph at first glance. My thoughts were so muddled and confused that I didn't even bother to think why the Phantom would have posession of these things, especially all the drawings of me.

I decided that it was best not to look any farther. I didn't want to know what else the Phantom had that resembled an obsession with me. I quickly closed the drawer and then left the bedroom, hoping to never again encounter something like that again, and hoping that the Phantom wasn't planning some sick evil deed for me.

I saw the Phantom sitting at his organ, composing music, but not playing it. As if he could feel my presence, he turned to look at me. "Alas, shall we return?" the Phantom spoke as if words were fire. I numbly nodded as I walked over to the boat. The Phantom watched me as I clambered into the waiting boat. After I seated myself, the Phantom slowly stood from his organ and stepped in behind me.

I stood among Christopher, Milly, and Madison as Madame Lauralai worked her way around the room attempting to calm distressed girls. "You'd think we're all going to die," Christopher joked. Madison nudged him with her elbow.

"_You_ didn't see it," Madison snapped.

"I don't think I need to now. All I've heard this morning was how sickening the dead man in the closet looked. I think I've got a pretty good idea how sliced up he was," Christopher retaliated.

"Sliced up? Is that what they're saying?" Madison sounded annoyed.

"Well, you know twitty girls, they really expand the stories to make them sound more gruesome than what they actually were." Christopher smiled in his taunting way. He ran a hand through his thick chestnut brown hair.

Christopher was a very handsome young man. At the age of nineteen, he had captured the hearts and lustful thoughts of many of the girls who worked at the Opera House. It's no surprise. Christopher had a nice, muscled physique due to all his hours of training for the ballet, and his dark green penetrating eyes were enough to steal away the imagination of any girl. He was a bit taller than most of the men, sized in at six feet and two inches. He was quite tall.

"_Some_ twitty girls, most likely one named Vashti," I commented, spotting Vashti with her group of friends crying onto the shoulders of some of the chorus boys.

"Now _that's _someone who should've been found dead in the closet," Christopher smirked. He followed my gaze over to Vashti and her putrid friends, then looked back at me. He looked at me _hard_. His brow narrowed as he asked, "Are you okay, Rose?"

I snapped my complete attention on him. _Oh no, _I thought to myself. _He knows._ "What?" I questioned, knowing almost exactly what he was going to say...

"Your eyes look a bit...red...as if you were crying...you weren't _crying_ were you?" he asked with a slight smile on his face. I tried to smile back.

"I'm a bit tired," I lied. Chris looked at me, as if reading my mind and saying, _I know where you were._

To my blithe relief, Edward Milson's voice rang out over us, "_Ladies and gentlemen_! We have found there is nothing to worry about. The opera house _has been searched_ and there is no sign of a remaining intruder. Chorus girls, you will be directed to a new dormitory where you may decide whether or not you will stay in that one or your old one after the closet has been taken care of. Rehearsals for the day have been cancelled and the performance has been delayed one day." I stood on my toes to see Milson and at the moment I saw him lean to the side where he whispered something seemingly malicious in Monsieur Vandyke's ear. "Until tomorrow, I ask that you all rest and please do not ponder on the happenings of today. There is _nothing to worry about_. Chorus girls, please remove your things from your old dormitory and place them in the directed dormitory. _Thank you._" Without another word, Milson turned on his heel and strode through the great oak doors of the ballroom and outside.

Voices began to rise in the air as frantic girls clambered after boys asking them to help them with their things. _How pathetic_. I was just turning to leave when Chris grabbed my left arm.

"If you're in trouble, Rose, please don't hesitate to seek help." Chris looked deep into my eyes as if pleading for me to tell him what had happened. I gently pulled my arm away from him and looked him in the face with a fake smile drawn across my face.

"There is no trouble, Chris," I scorned myself for decieving Chris, but really _there was no trouble..._I thought. "And if I ever find myself in trouble, you'd be one of the first I'd go to." I tried to give him a reassuring look, but Chris didn't return the smile. Instead he put a hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye, then turned and walked up the ballroom stairs to the boys' dormitories.

_Perfect,_ I thought to myself, _Now that I've got a load of people fretting over me, how long will it take them to realize who I've been in touch with, and what will they do to me if they all think I'm in danger being around Aeron? Surely they wouldn't lock me up. They couldn't. I wouldn't let them...Aeron wouldn't let them..._I let my mind wander in search of all the possiblities that could happen should anyone learn of my rehearsals with the Phantom.

Milly, Madison, and I all went up to our dormitory to move our things. Most of the things had already been removed, more than likely because some of the chorus boys chimed in to help so they would have more time to spend with some of the girls.

At first, when I looked around for my bed, I couldn't find it. But...I _knew _where my bed had always been, and the bed was there, _but my things weren't._ I hastily moved over to the empty bed in the corner of the room and frantically looked around for my things. Milly and Madison came up behind me. "What's the matter?" Madison asked.

"My things...they're not here..." I turned from the bed to look at her. I wasn't angry...I was mostly just _confused._

"Well..." Milly suggested, "Perhaps someone accidentally took your things thinking they were another girls." I sighed with relief.

"That's it," I said, mostly to myself. "I'll go check the other room." Milly and Madison slowly nodded as they gravitated towards their beds to gather their things.

I walked hastily down the hall, turning left twice and right once. This dormitory was used for Carlotta's chorus girls years ago, but after the fire, it was completely destroyed. Rumor had it that the fire wasn't what got it. Some said that the Phantom went back and set each and every bed on fire, but left only one untorched. Apparently, that was the bed that belonged to Christine Daae years ago.

I stormed into the dormitory and looked around for my things. Almost all of the chorus girls were already in the room along with at least a dozen of the chorus boys. After scanning the room and not being able to spot my things, I asked in a bit of a tempered voice, "Has anyone seen my things? They're not in the old dormitory and I can't find them here." Everyone looked at me. Their faces looked a bit puzzled. I'm sure it was because they wouldn't ever expect me to speak out to them like that, but my temper got the better of me.

"Well, they're not in here," one of the girls, whose name was Valerie, said impatiently, raising an eyebrow at one of the boys, who smirked in return.

"We don't know where your things are, Rose," Marie said quietly, looking at me with calm bright blue eyes. I nodded at her with barely a smile on my face, then turned and walked out of the room and back into the old dormitory.

Milly and Madison were just leaving when I ran into them. "This is bizzare!" I whined. "I can't find my things _anywhere_ and everyone says they haven't seen it!"

"Don't panic," Madison warned, "I bet Madame took them out or something...maybe they're inspecting your things."

"For what?" I snapped. "_Inspecting?"_

"Well...it _was _your blanket the body was wrapped in. Maybe they thought that whoever killed Isaiah might have done something with your things, so they're just checking them," Madison reassured me. I snorted, angry that someone had taken my things without even asking if it was okay.

Without another word Milly and Madison brushed passed me with their belongings and I watched them turn left, heading for the new dormitory.


	9. The Phantom

Chapter IX

The Phantom

I walked back and forth across the empty room where I held Rose's rehearsals. I kept this room dark to remind me of the solitude in which I came from. I didn't always hide in the shadows. No, there was once a time when I could go outside without the fear of someone screaming in utter horror at seeing who I was. My father had warned me when I was young not to go out in public places where very many people could see me. Even my mother refused to go out in broad daylight at times. She didn't used to be that way. It was my father's doings. He struck fear in our hearts, reminding my mother what she had done and reminding me of who I was. It was hell.

As for my father, he'd go out at night to buy necessities our small family needed. He never went into town. He went to quiet country stores where no one knew of anything that happened in the big cities. Even there, he didn't dare show his face, and he'd wear a cloak that covered most of his face...especially the right side of his face. I'd often hear my mother telling him that it was '_okay_ now that we fled France, and that there was a rare chance anyone would recognize us here.' My father, however would shout at her telling her that she was a fool for thinking like that. He'd often bring up a Raoul and spitefully use it against her. I remember hearing her cry at night, sometimes praying out loud...praying for an angel...for she used to have an angel, but that angel was far gone now.

My mother's name was Christine. It was such a beautiful name, which suited her beautiful personality. Her voice was soothing. Father would have her sing at times. Whenever Mother sang, it seemed to bring a sort of calmness over him. I suppose that's what kept our family together...until Mother stopped singing all together.

I never knew exactly why she suddenly refused to sing. She wouldn't even sing me to sleep, which she had done ever since I was born on the 13th of December. Father grew infurriated and would yell at her, almost begging her to sing. "GO AHEAD, WASTE YOUR VOICE ON NOTHING! IS THAT WHY YOU LEFT THE OPERA?" he'd scream. Mother would cry and lock herself away in her room. And whenever my father would try to coax her out, she'd whimper, "Leave me!"

I shivered at the memory of her crying. It seemed as though she cried every night because of my father. I hated my father for it. I told myself I'd never make my wife cry. Never. I'd rather kill myself than have her cry.

Which brought my thoughts upon dear Rose. It was painful to think about what she looked like when she came to my gate, shivering cold and crying, screaming at me about what I had done to Isaiah. I couldn't quite understand her concern. Or the fact that she knew I had killed him. I didn't think I came off that way.

Rose was the only girl I had seen come to the Opera Populaire and dance so soulfully. Unlike my father, singing didn't soothe me. Not after my mother died. I began to resent singing in itself. Perhaps that is why I was drawn to Rose's dancing, rather than Maria Fleur's singing. I wasn't just attracted to Rose's dancing though. I was attracted to her spirit. I'd watch her from the rafters while she pranced around and talked to her friends. She never gossipped like the other mindless ballet rats. Rather, she simply talked about things.

Rose had captured my attention the moment she turned 14. She had just begin to bloom into an attractive young woman. She had developed a chest, and her legs were no longer scrawny and skinny, but _slender_. Her body was thin and her whole figure was curved into a womanly manner.

I had always had an interest for Rose when she was younger, but I had never looked at her the way I did when she began developing. I was compelled by her body, which kept my interest when I couldn't find an interest in her conversations when she talked among her friends. At the time, I almost wanted to curse myself for watching her every move so intently. I was of age twenty-one, and it almost seemed wrong for me to be attracted to such a young girl. But I could never help it.

At night, I used to wander into the girl's dorms at night, searching for young Rose. When I would find her bed, I'd sit at the edge, with her lap pressing into the small of my back. I'd run my fingers through her beautiful long, blonde hair, stroking it lovingly. She always wore a small silver cross around her neck that settled peacefully on her chest. I'd find myself taking the cross in my hand, making sure not to pull too tight so I wouldn't wake Rose, but just enough so I could feel it with my thumb, rubbing it back and forth. I could feel the tiny ridges in it, and I always wondered where she obtained it. I guessed she had gotten it from her grandmother, Madame Giry, but I never really knew.

I had always fantasized about taking Rose to my bedroom or just bringing her to my abode to simply talk. I had never dreamed this possible however, for I thought she would recognize because I was sure her mother, Meg, would have told her about my father. So, I kept my distance from her, watching her from the shadows. I hated every minute I couldn't be with her. The only thing I ever wanted was to hold her. But I couldn't. I didn't think I'd ever be able to. It was one of my worst fears. In a sense, I felt helpless. My heart deadened when I could see her reaching out as she danced, but couldn't feel her touch. My stomach felt sick whenever I'd see her laughing with her friends, but couldn't feel her breath. Yet, my knees weakened at the very sight of her. I longed for her love.

I had thought about coming to her at night, when all the others were sleeping, but I feared that it would drive her away in fright. So I waited for my opportunity to silently somehow meet her.

Then, one day during rehearsals, I heard Rose talking to Madison about wanting a chance in the limelight. She said she had always wanted to dance solo for the audience. My mind nearly exploded with excitement. It was my chance to finally bring Rose to my lair and coach her from there instead of the darkness which enveloped me. I waited months for the right moment to approach. If I came to her while she was still quite young, I knew I would scare her away. So, two months after she turned sixteen, I found my chance.

Again, I came to her at night, but I hid well in the dark, seeing to it that no one would find me even if they tried. Gently, I called out to Rose. She responded to my calling exactly as I thought she would. She got out of bed and traveled out to find who had called her name. Milson, however, foiled my plan, for just as she was about to come to me, he walked out of the room from which he was doing paper work and ran into Rose. I could sense that she anticipated his footsteps to be mine, but when she found they weren't, it only shook Rose up. Which may have been the reasoning for her fainting when I stepped out from my hiding place. I had kept with me a vial of chloroform and a rag just in case she'd scream and I'd have to use it. But she barely gasped louder than a sigh, then fainted anyway.

I could remember swiftly picking her up, gently so not to harm her in any way. I fixed her night gown, for it had become askew, then made my way down the flights of stairs and into the passageway that led to my home. Rose didn't stir once as I put her in the boat and rowed across. She simply lay there like an angel. I watched her, hoping she wouldn't be terrified of me when she woke.

After I layed her down on the bed, I walked out of the room and over to the small kitchen area, which was almost invisible due to the darkness around it. I reached inside one of the cabinets and pulled out brandy. I knew I shouldn't have drank anything, but that was the only way I could find to relax. I even went over to my organ to try to compose something, but my mind was so occupied that I found myself playing songs that I had already written.

So I stopped playing and simply sat there and began thinking. My thoughts drifted over my mother. I'm not exactly sure why. I saw her crying alone on the floor of her bedroom. She never let me come near her when she cried. She hated it when I saw her in tears. Then I thought about my father. I could see him yelling at her, for so many things that weren't her fault.

I remember the first time I saw him cry. It was when my mother was already with tears stains on her face and her eyes still pouring tears and she told him that if she didn't love him, she would have left him years ago. She told him that she had a chance at a better life, but she turned it down for _him_. 'You promised me!' she screamed through tears. 'You said none of this would happen!' I, at the time, had no idea what they were talking about. I was far too young to understand them. My father's eyes filled with tears as he turned from her, then walked out the front door, quietly closing it behind him. I could hear him outside, crying outloud. It was pitiful. I felt bad for him. No matter what he put my mother through, I always seemed to feel sorry for him.

Thinking about my parents and all their fights made me feel hatred towards memories. Then I began to hate the Opera Populaire, then my father for making Mother cry, then my mother for refusing to sing. I stood up, still angry, and walked over to one of the candle chandeliers. I stood there for a while, simply gazing at the flickering flames. Then, with a sudden burst of anger, I pushed it over as hard as I could. I watched it fall into the lake with a splash, then a thud.

That's when Rose stepped out of my room. She looked a bit confused and curious. I was positive the sound had either woken her or had caused her to come out of the room. When she turned and saw me, she gasped as if startled...not necessarily afraid, just perhaps not expecting to see _me_. I watched her eyes travel, as if inspecting me. She didn't look the least bit fearful. Just curious.

I sighed at the thought of her. I didn't want her to be scared of me. That was the last thing I wanted for us. Fear. Fear had destroyed my family. I didn't want it to harm Rose and I. It wouldn't. I wouldn't let it. My only problem was my temper. I've never been able to hold a decent temper. I'd explode at every little thing. Especially with the chorus girls and the maestro and managers. Anything they did wrong, I'd punish them. I felt like it was my job. But Rose...poor Rose...I let my anger out on her when she didn't do something right. I didn't want to yell at her when she came for her first rehearsal, and I know I frightened her when I did. I only meant to help...

I walked out of the dark room and into my bedroom. I glanced at Rose's possessions which were piled on my floor next to my bed. I knew that by now, she'd be upset that they were missing, but I didn't want her to choose her bed. _I _wanted to choose her bed. I knew which bed it would be, too. It'd be the bed that no one would take. All the other chorus girls would be afraid to even sleep _near_ it. My mother's bed. The one that was left unharmed during the fire, my father told me. Eventually, however, the flames consumed it, just like they consumed my father's heart. I would make that bed Rose's. I'd have to wait, though, until all the girls were out of the dormitory to place Rose's things on her bed.


	10. The Fall

Chapter X

The Fall

All the other chorus girls had already put their things in place in the new dormitory. Not knowing what to do, I went back downstairs and into the ballroom that is almost always empty. When I first entered the room, I felt a chill and shivered slightly as I moved to the very center of the ballroom. The room was completely empty except for golden statues of unclad women holding a torch high over their head as if they were lighting the ballroom.

This ballroom was never used. After the Opera Populaire was burnt down, they decided to make another ballroom. I never saw the purpose though. It's never been used. The only time I've ever seen anyone in there was right before performances, chorus girls and boys would sometimes come down here during the night and secretly practice. Even I have done it a few times.

I looked around me. There was a huge golden staircase at the exact opposite end of the entrance. The floor was tiled in black, white, and gold. Even though, there was absolutely nothing in the ballroom except the statues, it looked extraordinary. I kept walking until I reached the golden staircase at the other end. I slowly sat down on one of its huge steps and put my head in my hands. _What was I to do_. Lights Out was in an hour, and I hadn't the slightest clue where my things were. It may have been foolish of me not to go to Madame and tell her that I couldn't find my things, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. I was afraid she would get mad at me and tell me I'm irresposible. I sat there on the step thinking hard of what to do. Why would anyone take my things? What would they want to do with them?

I heard laughter and footsteps running down the stairs from the dorms. I knew that all the girls left their dorm for an hour of fun before they had to go to bed. It seemed as if everyone simply forgot about Isaiah. I knew they would. And, of course, any thought of a Phantom was immediatly pushed away in fear.

Just as I was about to get up to leave the ballroom and possibly go to Madame about my situation, I heard a voice call to me. "Rose..." Chills ran down my spine. It was the same haunting voice that I heard the night the Phantom came to me. I _knew_ it was him. Not only from his voice, but my heart told me it was him. "Walk forward, Rose..." the voice commanded. Blindly, almost as if under a spell, I obeyed, standing up and slowly walking forwards, taking several steps away from the huge staircase. I kept walking until suddenly the floor beneath me gave way and I felt myself falling down a tunnel. I shrieked in complete fear, not knowing at all what was happening.

I could barely breathe and my heart felt like it was in my throat. My head buzzed and I felt like I was going to pass out. I continued falling until the tunnel seemed to end and I fell into deep water. I sunk to the bottom of the lake then pushed up from the bottom quickly. As soon as my head broke to the surface I gasped for air. I was in complete shock. I was almost positive I had fell the many levels of the opera house, and into the Phantom's lake, but I had no idea how I survived. I looked beneath me and terror struck me as I saw that the water was so unimaginably deep that it appeared black. The water wasn't cold as it was before. I didn't know at all why. I glanced around to see what was before me. Walls surrounded me everywhere I looked. Dark, stone walls that looked as though they threatened to move in and crush me. I shivered, not from cold, but from the very thought of what could happen to me. I continued glancing around, and that's when I saw the Phantom. _He was laughing_. Not in a cruel manner, but a friendly playful laugh. I couldn't help but smile, though I was sure that the fall I took could have killed me.

"Having a bit of fun?" he smiled. I looked at him, no longer smiling, though.

"That could have finished me off..." I replied stiffly.

The Phantom gazed at me with eyes still dancing with laughter. "Ah, but it didn't...and it wouldn't have." The Phantom moved out from against the wall and walked over to the edge. Getting on his knees, he held out a hand to me. I swam towards him and took hold of his hand. He pulled me up with little effort and I struggled to get to my feet once I was on the stone floor. Aeron stood before me, watching my every move. I looked up at him and saw a slight smile on his face, almost a smirk. I smiled at him, wondering how on earth he had become so volatile.

"Come with me," he said quietly, he was no longer smiling, but his eyes were warm with comfort. He held out his hand, and I took it without a second thought.

He led me swiftly around stone corners and through tunnels that I never knew existed. It all seemed to be a maze, and everytime we turned a corner, I instantly became lost.

The Phantom glanced back at me with a keen look in his eyes, as if he had something special planned. I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest, wondering what he had in store. I wasn't really sure if I wanted to know.

After what seemed to be hours of endless walking through tunnels, we came upon a curtain that seemed to cover an opening. The Phantom moved the thick black curtain aside and revealed his bedroom. The familiar huge bed lay before us, and at the foot of it were my things. My eyes widened at seeing them. I wasn't sure if I was angry or relieved. The Phantom looked back at me and smiled slightly at seeing the expression on my face.

Without speaking, the Phantom continued walking towards the bed, then turned us around so that I was right in front of the side of the bed.


	11. The Beautiful Passion

Chapter XI

The Beautiful Passion

The Phantom released my hand and reached behind me and began to untie my day gown...the one that _he_ had chosen from his drawer when I had come to him after trodding through freezing water.

It seemed as if today's events were all behind us as the Phantom slipped off my gown. Now only my corset and pantalets remained on. I saw a smirk spread across the Phantom's face as he looked at my corset. As he reached behind me to begin untying my corset, I had absolutely no idea what to do. For a moment, I just stood there and let him work at removing my corset, reminding myself that I would be bearing all to him should he remove it. Without thinking, though, I reached behind and began helping him untie all the strings that pressed the corset to my body. The Phantom moved down to the very last string before I could, and slowly untied it, looking into my eyes the whole time. Then, before he completely removed my corset, he gently pressed me to the bed. I lay there on my back looking up at him. I watched him as he began to take off his shirt, and then slowly started to take off his trousers. I could feel my eyes grow wide just at the thought of what he was about to bring upon me. Before he completely took off his trousers, he picked me up at the waist and moved me up on the bed until my whole body was completely on the huge red sheeted bed. Slowly, he removed my corset.

He then removed his trousers, completely exposing himself, and moved onto the bed so that he was on top of me. I couldn't help glancing at his manhood. I had never seen any other before, and it came as almost a shock to me. I knew the workings of sex, but I knew nothing of the male parts. The Phantom began to slide my pantalets off of me, and I leaned my head back, not really wanting to look...to see the lustful look in his eyes.

It wasn't that I didn't want this. I was just a bit reluctant of it. I didn't know what to expect. All I knew was that what we were going to do would hurt me.

The Phantom caressed my body tenderly moving his hands from the inside of my thighs up past my belly, moving over my breasts and then up to my neck. He looked into my eyes, and when I looked up to meet them, he leaned down and pressed a passionate kiss on my lips. It wasn't a hard kiss, but it was powerful. I felt him move his tongue into my mouth and then entwine it with mine. He pulled up a bit and looked at me. Slowly, his eyes began to travel down the rest of my body. He rotated his hips against my thighs. I let out a moan from both pleasure and pain.

As he moved his hands down to my sex, I arched my back, loving every moment he touched me. He stroked the edge of my opening, then I felt his fingers move inside of me, exploring. I closed my eyes. I could feel sweat break out across my body, and I began panting. The Phantom removed his hands, then moved his whole body down a little further and kissed me right below my navel. I felt his tongue touch my skin, and I felt myself grow wet. The moment I opened my eyes and looked down at him, he looked up at me with a devilish smile.

I closed my eyes again as he moved his lips up my body until they reached my neck. "Oh, Rose..." he whispered softly. I shuddered at him calling my name. I moved my hands so that they rested on his lower back, then before I could comprehend what happened, _I_ was on top of the Phantom. I straddled his waist while he held my hips. I caressed his muscular chest, loving the feel of his sweaty body. He closed his eyes and groaned as I put my lips to work and began placing gentle kisses on his chest and then his neck. I was completely unexperienced at all of this, and I wasn't sure if the Phantom was either, but we both acted like we knew what we were doing. I leaned down and kissed the Phantom. I felt him grab the back of my neck and press me to him. I could smell his sweat.

The Phantom then rolled me over so that he was once again on top. I looked into his eyes and saw a fire burning passion glazing in his eyes. The Phantom took a hold of my legs and moved them so they hooked around his lower back. I felt his manhood nudge my opening, as if trying to get in me. The Phantom looked into my eyes, then slowly, I felt my eyes begin to close. I felt new sweat break out all over my body. Our bodies stuck together, and as I felt the Phantom begin to move into me, I began to pant even harder.

Then, all at once he thrust into me. _Hard._ I tried suppressing a scream, and instead let out a faint whimper. I grabbed onto the sheets beside me and clenched them as hard as I could for some comfort. I opened my eyes and saw the Phantom looking at me with a half worried expression on his face, but once he saw me look at him, his face went expressionless and he leaned down to kiss me. Our mouths pressed together passionately.

When he pulled back, he thrust into me again. I could feel him deep inside of me. The sensation burned and stung, yet at the same time, felt good. I heard the Phantom groan as he continued sinking into me. I arched my back as I felt heat move through my body. I felt my toes become numb and my thighs tightened. Closing my eyes, I could hear the Phantom begin to breathe hard. I knew he was nearing the end.

He thrust into me even harder than before, and this time I couldn't help but scream from the pain. I could feel him stretching me. I didn't know how much longer I could take it. It all felt so good, but it _burned_ so badly. And with every thrust I felt him move even deeper inside of me. I felt the Phantom's lips upon my neck as he suckled my skin. I moaned softly. Feeling him upon me felt _so_ good.

The Phantom thrust into me one last time, harder than ever, and then he collapsed on top of me, breathing hard. I began panting again. I could now smell the sweat from both of our bodies. It wasn't a bad smell...not at all.

The side of the Phantom's face was pressed against my neck as his laboured breathing began slowly easing a bit. I wasn't panting as hard now. Instead, I was breathing almost normal. I might have been able to breathe normal, in fact, if it weren't for the Phantom lying right on top of me. He was crushing my breasts and my lungs for that matter.

Then, I felt the Phantom take a hold of my hands and bring them above my head. He laced his fingers with mine and squeezed tightly as if to comfort us both. I took as deep a breath as I could as I closed my eyes slowly, then fluttered them back open.

The Phantom released my hands, and I felt him quickly move out of me. I clenched my teeth at the pain of him pulling out. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, still breathing a bit heavy.

I heard the Phantom move about the room, and then I felt the bed sink a bit as he climbed back in. I opened my eyes to look at him and saw that he had put on fresh trousers. He lay beside me, simply gazing at me. I turned my head and gave a weak smile. I felt very tired.

Still, the Phantom did not speak to me. Instead, he put a hand on my waist and pulled me closer to him. He stroked my cheek with his thumb and whispered sweet nothings in my ear. His hand carressed my stomach as he leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

I felt my eyes droop, and as I closed my eyes, I felt the Phantom pick me up and readjust me on the bed, then I felt a thick, soft, silk blanket being placed upon my body. I felt him gently kiss my cheek, and then I fell into a deep sleep.


	12. Erik's Heir

Chapter XII

Erik's Heir

After what had to be several hours, I heard someone enter the room. I slowly pried my eyes open to see who had come in. It was the Phantom, still without a shirt, with a glass of water in his hand. He looked at me and gave a gentle smile as he walked over to the bed. He sat down on the edge and offered me the glass. I took it gladly and gulped down the sweet taste of simple water. Aeron brushed my hair back behind my ear and breathed in deeply.

"I moved your things to your dormitory," Aeron said quietly. I nodded. I wanted to ask him why he had them in the first place, but decided against it.

The Phantom took the now empty glass and set it on the night table beside the bed, then stood up and walked over to the dresser from which he had pulled out my previous gown. He opened the second drawer, pulling out a corset and pantalets, then closed the second and opened the first to pull out a day gown. He walked back over to me and set them on the bed. "After you change, I'll take you back," he said, then walked out of the room, lowering the curtain over the entry as he left.

I moved quickly to put on the pantalets, but as I tried to put on my corset, I found it a bit difficult. I didn't exactly want to ask the Phantom for help, for I thought I might look childish if I did so, but as I tried to tie farther up, my attempts became useless. So, sheepishly, I brushed passed the curtain and gazed around for the Phantom. He was at his organ, composing music, but not playing it. As I moved closer, Aeron must have sensed me, for he turned from his writing and looked at me, almost in question. He must have seen the look on my face and he chuckled and made his way over to me.

"Having a bit of trouble are we?" he asked teasingly.

I had an embarrased grin on my face as I quietly answered him, "It's my corset...I've never been able to put it on myself."

The Phantom motioned for me to turn around, so I did. I felt him run his hands down my back before he began tying and retying each set of strings. After he finished he put his hands on my waist and turned me around. When I looked at him he nodded. He released my waist and I turned to go back and finish dressing.

Aeron took me back by boat, then released me at the door that led out to the stairs that went up to the dorms. I cracked open the hidden door just enough to make sure no one was lurking around somewhere. After I was quite sure it was safe, I quickly moved out from the tunnel and closed the door quietly. I snapped around and when I still didn't see anyone, I headed upstairs to the dorm. I was _sure_ Madison and Milly were having a heart attack wondering where I've been.

As it turned out, everyone was still in their beds..._sleeping_. I wasn't sure what time it was, but I was almost positive it was well past eight in the morning. The window that led into our dorm had sunlight beaming into the room, and the birds were well awake and singing. I looked around at all the beds, looking for mine.

Just as I found Milly and Madison sleeping on their beds, I found my bed. It was in the very corner of the room, as if shunned off to the side, right next to the window. There were only two beds even _near_ it, and they were empty. It seemed as if everyone chose to keep away from that particular corner of the room. I also noticed a closet near by. I shuddered, instantly remembering Isaiah. I looked at my things and saw that the bed was made perfectly. My things were gracefully put beneath my bed, and atop my pillow there was a red rose with a black ribbon tied around its stem.

I had heard of that sort of rose before. My mother had told me that Erik, the old Phantom, would tie a black ribbon around the stem of the rose whenever he gave one to Christine. _There had to be some kind of connection between Aeron and Erik._ I had thought that perhaps Aeron was Erik's son, but laughed at the thought. Why would anyone choose to come back to the place that had caused their family and everyone else so much pain? Erik was dead. I knew that for a fact. Everyone knew he was dead, and the thought that he had a son was absolutely ludacrous. Perhaps he was just someone who thought he ought to follow Erik's footsteps and bring back the same horror to the Opera Populaire that had come upon it so many years ago. For some reason, my mind wandered to the thought of his mask. _Aeron's mask._ What was behind this mask that so carefully hid the right side of his face? I decided that I didn't really want to know. People had called Erik a monster because of his hideous face, but I didn't believe it. I didn't think Aeron was a monster either.

I looked around at all the other girls. They all looked so peaceful, so undisturbed. I wondered if I might have looked that innocent when I slept.

I swiftly climbed into my bed, placing the rose which sat upon my pillow under by bed, carefully hidden so no one would see it. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep, but once I closed my eyes, I immediatly drifted off into slumber.

I woke to someone tapping on my shoulder. Feeling more tired than I should have been, I turned in my bed to face who was waking me up. It was Milly, looking quite fretful...I didn't exactly want to know why.

"Rose...something's happened..."


	13. Punishment

Chapter XIII

Punishment

My eyes immediatly snapped open to full extent. I searched Milly's face, wondering what in God's name had happened _now_. "What is it, Milly?" I knew my words were a bit slurred together in my haste to get them out of my mouth.

Milly looked as though she were about to cry as she shook her head. Her eyes filled with dreaded tears as she chokingly replied, "It's Madison...she's hurt...really bad..." With that Milly broke into a sob.

My heart felt like it dropped to my stomach. "Milly, tell me what happened," I gently coaxed.

Again, Milly shook her head, still crying. "I don't know...she's not talking...we thought perhaps she'd talk to you. Oh, Rose...I don't know what's _wrong_ with her..." Milly then began crying histarically.

I leapt out of my bed and hastily put on a fresh day gown, then ran out the dorm and made my way down the stairs.

Everyone, I found, was in the ballroom...the one that was always left empty. This time, the room was lit up with people everywhere. Mostly there were just girls from the chorus who were my, Milly, and Madison's friends. I looked around to find where Madison would be. As I walked around, some of the girls looked at me, their eyes red with tears, others stood in corners, their eyes wide with fear. I found Madison lying on the floor with Madame and Mr. Milson hovering over her, frantically trying to get Madison to talk.

As I moved closer, I saw Madison, her eyes open wide with horror as if she could still see something terrible. There was a red mark around her throat where it looked as if a lasso had been tied about her neck. She had what looked to be a knife wound, splitting open the left side of her cheek. It wasn't a huge cut, but the bleeding didn't seem to ever stop. She was wearing her nightgown, and I could see her legs, bruised terribly from thigh to ankle. Her arms were also bruised and looked a bit bloody, as if someone had thrown her about. Her lip was bloody and there was a distinct hand mark bruised across the right side of her face. I began crying even before I ran to Madison's side. I got on my knees and held her face in my hands.

"_Madison!"_ I cried...wishing that this had happened to someone else...even _me_..."I'm so sorry, Madison...oh, my God, Madison..." I looked at Madison and saw her face had relaxed a bit, even though her eyes still looked petrified.

"Rose..." she mumbled...I barely made out the words.

"What _happened?_" I asked...praying to the Lord Almighty that Aeron had nothing to do with it. I highly doubted it was him. Aeron was with _me _all last night...and from the looks of it, this had happened during the night.

"_I can't say..."_ Madison whispered, looking at me with fearful eyes. She looked around her, as if looking for someone...making sure no one else was listening who wasn't supposed to.

"Tell me, Madison...it's okay." I let go of her face and looked her square in the eye, pleading with her to tell me.

Madison's words were quiet and hard to make out as she said dazedly, "I couldn't find you...last night." Again, Madison looked around before she continued, "I was worried that you still hadn't found your things. Then, it was Lights Out, and so I went to the dorm, but when I saw you still weren't there...I began to panic." Madison coughed slightly, squeezing her eyes shut as though even coughing was extremely painful. "I waited for a few hours...but you still never came...so I thought I should go look for you. I didn't tell anyone. I was afraid that...you might have been with..._him_..." Madison looked up fearfully, again, checking to see that no one was listening. "It was dark...I couldn't see anything. I thought that you might have gone into the ballroom because I saw you go that way before Lights Out...so I walked into the room. I should have been more careful...I didn't think..." Madison stopped. I thought she was simply going to stop talking.

"Think what?" I asked her pressing for an answer.

"That anyone would be in here..." Madison said. Her answer chilled my blood, and my bones felt like they went completely stiff.

"What happened in here?"

Madison coughed again, wincing at having to force air out of her lungs. "I called out your name...hoping you'd be in here...but no one answered. After a while of just standing there, I turned to go to find Madame for help...but...but..." Tears welled up in Madison's eyes, and she looked away from me. I lay a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "Th-there was a...a _man_...just standing there...right in front of me...I could see his eyes...it looked as though fire itself burned inside of them...he said my name...then asked me who I was looking for. I didn't know who he was...I didn't know why he was there..." Madison drew in a deep breath, a tear leaked from the corner of her eye and slid down the side of her face with the bruise on it. "I told him I was looking for my friend, and he asked for the name...so I told him...then I asked him why he was here...I thought it might have been the Phantom...so...so I told him to leave us alone. He _laughed_...he told me that I was an arrogant...an arrogant rat who needed to stay out of other people's business. I told him that my friend was none of his business...that's when h-he grabbed my shoulders and lifted me up...and told me that everyone who lived in the opera house _was _his business..." Madison began to cry...her shoulders shook and as she reached up to wipe away her tears, I saw a nasty hand bruise on her wrist. "He threw me..._threw me_ across the room. I pleaded with him not to hurt me...I _begged_ him...I had fallen on my back, and thought that I had broken it. He told me to get up, but I couldn't, so he got on top of me and held my hands above my head with his one hand, I saw him reach down...and then...I saw him with a knife...so...so I started to cry...begging him not to do this...he let go of the knife and hit me. He hit me s-so...hard...I tried to stop crying...he took up the knife and held it to my face and asked me why I shunned him. I didn't understand what he meant, and he cut my face...holding the knife there 'til I bled." Madison choked on her words, then raised her eyes to look at me. "_He asked me why I shunned him..._"

"What else happened?" I pressed.

Madison whimpered. "I-I told him I'd do anything if he'd let me go. He said I was a liar, then moved his knees so they were on top of my legs...it hurt so bad...and he wouldn't stop...he told me that he was going to kill me because I didn't deserve life when I took one away. He...he said he was going to take lives to give back what was taken from him. He took out a rope...then put it around my neck and tightened it 'til it was choking me...I couldn't speak...I tried asking him to stop...but I couldn't say anything...everytime I tried to speak, he tightened the rope..." Madison drew in a breath. "He had let go of my hands and I tried to pull the rope away from my neck...he was laughing...laughing at every attempt I made to get away. He loosened the rope, and I began to beg him to stop...I didn't want to die..._I didn't want to die..._" I began to cry again as Madison continued. "He beat me...told me to shut up...he began to rip my gown...I thought...he was going to...to...so I cried for him not to...he told me he wasn't going to...he just liked to see me..._suffer_...like I was his play thing. He took the rope off my neck, and got off of me. Then picked me up and carried me to the center of the floor..._here_. He told me to never come out at night again...and that he didn't want to hurt _you_ by killing _me...I knew it was him...it had to be, Rose..."_ Madison looked at me again...her face expression no longer terrified, but petrified. "After he lay me down, I began to cry...he shushed me, putting a finger over my lips...told me that if I cried, he'd have to kill me...so I stopped crying. He changed my gown...put a new one on me...I don't know why...I thought he was trying to be nice...but I don't know. I saw him walk out of the room. He was wearing a cloak...and a _mask_...I remember the mask...it was black...I couldn't see his face. _It was the Phantom, Rose..._" Madison's voice was deathly quiet. Then, she closed her eyes, and I knew she was sleeping. Her chest rose and fell slowly.

Angry, upset, and feeling unbearably distressed, I stood up, tears still wet in my eyes, and looked around. And _there_...in the shadows next to one of the pillars on the upper floor of the ballroom, stood the Phantom. He looked at me briefly before turning away and walking back into the darkness. My first thought was to follow him, but I knew I'd draw attention by running up the stairs to follow something no one else saw. They'd find it suspicious. My second thought was to go back upstairs and draw the Phantom's attention by doing the unthinkable.


End file.
